Crazy in the Head, Crazy in the Bed

Howdy! Name's Jake. Jake Milligan, to be precise, but Jake is fine. Thirty-three, recent resident of Florence. I don't think I'm that difficult of a guy to get along with. I mean, hell, I don't like being backstabbed, but who does, really? Family is the most important to me. Proud uncle and even prouder father. I guess you could say they're the reason I'm here.

[jdmilligan-blog]

Smooth Criminal (12:03 pm)

[k-rushing-blog]

What Katie needed was time. Jake was one to find a way to run out the second things got scary and he thought he would get caught. She needed time. Enough time for Justin to get there. And then it’d all be over. Chris would call him. And knowing him, he’d do it sooner than she’d asked. She didn’t need much time at all. Just a little longer.

“I know you were saving someone, and that…Jake, that’s amazing,” she said softly, wiping the tears off her cheeks again as she tried to tell him what she knew he’d want to hear. “I think that’ll really help you. If you can tell them what happened, tell them you did it to save that girl, it’ll help.”

She saw a look in Jake’s eyes that she hadn’t seen in quite some time. The months he’d been away had been on hard on him, she could tell. For the first time in so long, he seemed…softer. Vulnerable, even. She wasn’t going to let it cloud her judgment, to make her forget what he was really like, but in that moment, it gave her hope. 

“I can’t promise you they’re gonna let you see him right away, Jake. I can’t promise that. But if you quit now, if you give it up…it can be okay. Maybe not tomorrow, maybe not the next day…but if you just give up, we’ll figure it out, okay? I don’t want Lukas to not have his daddy anymore,” Katie lied, watching Jake carefully to make sure she wasn’t saying the wrong thing. “But you have to start somewhere to get things back to okay again.”

Lukas bounced in Jake’s hands, a grumpy expression on his face, and Katie desperately wanted to take him back again, and just hold him and never let him do anything but smile again. “Has he eaten today?” she asked gently. Jake shook his head, not making eye contact with her. “Can we take him to the kitchen, then?” Katie asked, quickly realizing this would be the perfect way to buy more time. “You can hold him the whole time, I just…I want him fed. Please?”

Jake nodded, turning and heading out the door. He’d barely taken two steps out the door when he stopped, his face no longer visible to Katie as she heard Justin’s voice in the hallway.

[justin-sullivan]

They were leaving the room. Justin had two options: 1. Find another hide out, see what else that he needed to say, but that allowed Jake closer to the door, closer escape. Or 2. Face him now, end it all right then and there. Reunite Katie  and Chris with Lukas once and for all. Justin barely had any time to decide. Before his mind caught up with his actions, Justin was face to face with Jake. He’d waited so long for this moment and he was not going to let it slip away, not this time.

“Hold it there, Jake.” He simply stated, his gun still at his side, not wanting to frighten Lukas. He’d be prepared to draw it out, if needed. Justin tried to stand in the narrowest part of the hallway, allowing minimal room between him and the walls. Jake had never seen Justin, his badge and gun were hidden, unless he’d seen him on the news, Jake didn’t really know he was an officer. Although, he could have just as easily assumed. “You okay, Katie?” Justin called out, still not breaking eye contact with Jake.

Justin observed his surroundings, not much room to Jake to try and run for, especially not with a child in his hands. “Why don’t you go ahead and hand Lukas to Katie, Jake.”

[jdmilligan-blog]

Jake didn't know this man in front of him, but it was more than a little obvious to him that the man was a cop. It'd take someone with such a deluded sense of power to think he could call the shots without anything to back it up. Jake froze in place, his hands still firmly on Lukas. There wasn't a way to get through, Jake could see that. Not without potentially causing harm to Lukas. If he gave him over to Katie, then yeah, he stood a better chance at getting away - but then he'd be without his son. 

"I'm fine," Katie said at his side, standing in the doorway just inches from him, looking over at the man in the hallway, then back to Jake. "This is Ju- Officer Sullivan. And he's - he's a really good guy, Jake, okay?"

"Don't talk to me like I'm five, Katie," Jake snapped.

"I-I'm sorry," Katie said quietly, looking down, her cheeks reddening. "I just want you to know that he'll listen to you. If you want to tell him what really happened with that guy, he'll listen. But you gotta give me Luke."

Jake looked down at the baby in his arms, who was staring up at the light fixture on the ceiling, as if nothing around him was even happening. He knew he had no where left to go. In some respects, he'd known this was the outcome he was going to reach before he'd even called Katie.

"Promise me something?" he asked Katie, turning his head toward her.

[jdmilligan-blog]

Smooth Criminal (12:03 pm)

[k-rushing-blog]

Katie paced her bedroom, her eyes routinely darting to the stain on the floor and the hole that was still in the wall from the bullet. Leave it to Jake to try to be poetic, force her to meet him in the last place they’d seen each other. 

Katie sighed, her fingers twirling into knots as she waited. So many fears were running through her head. Somehow, she was certain he knew that she’d tipped Chris off. But then again, she tried to remind herself, he had said not to call the cops. And she hadn’t - she’d only asked that Chris did. 

She shouldn’t have, though, she admonished herself. She should have come alone, told no one, found a way to handle it herself. This was her child she was dealing with here. She shouldn’t have tried to take any chances of making Jake angry, not when he had her baby. 

She had her back to the door when she heard a creak on the floorboards in the hallway, and whirled around, waiting. She fidgeted with her sweatshirt, her cell phone hidden in the waistband of her jeans underneath it, where he wouldn’t notice it and try to take it right away. 

If she’d been having trouble breathing before, it was nothing compared to the utter lack of oxygen she experienced as Jake appeared in the doorway, his arm extended out into the doorway where she couldn’t see it. “Are you alone?” he asked in a low whisper, looking around. “I have a gun.”

Katie wanted to feel afraid. She knew she should, but all that registered was shock. “I-I’m alone. Please, Jake…let’s just talk.”

Jake sighed, glaring at her. “Don’t talk to me like I’m crazy, Katie. I need you to listen to me, but I know you’re only going to care if I get this part taken care of first, so…” He brought his arm closer to himself, and as it came into view, so did Lukas.

Katie registered, somewhere in the back of her mind, that she gasped as she saw him. She immediately dropped to her knees, her arms spreading open as Jake let go of Lukas’ hand. He’d barely been walking when Katie had last seen him, still holding on to everything he could reach to pull him along. But now, he moved toward her far more easily than she would have expected. His chubby little knees still shook a bit as he set one foot in front of another, and he lost his balance just as he touched her hand, falling on his bottom with his hand still wrapped around her finger, staring up at her in wonder.

Katie scooped him up, burying her face in his hair, longer now than it’d been when she last saw him, knowing she was soaking his shoulder with her tears. In that moment, she couldn’t care that Jake was still standing there, leaning against the door and watching them. She was holding her son again. Nothing else felt real.

“Do you remember what happened that night?” Katie looked up at Jake, her hand on the back of Lukas’ head, barely moving away from him.

“Are you serious? You shot me, and you stole my baby. You-you shot me, just like you did that other man.”

Jake dropped his head down, shaking his head back and forth. “You’re ridiculous, you know that, Katie? I kill a man, because he was beating a woman, and you still want to make me the bad guy?”

Katie stared at him, tightening her grip on Lukas. “What are you even talking about?”

Jake stepped closer, and Katie took a step backward automatically. “Katie, I need you to remember what really happened, alright? I’m tired of runnin’. I want you to remember so we can come home and Lukas can see you more.”

Katie shook her head. “He’s mine. You come back and you lose him. You know that, Jake. So why do you think me remembering anything is gonna change that?”

He looked at her, and Katie was all too aware the expression in her eyes was meant to play her. “Because I never did anything to hurt him, and you know I’m a good father. And I’m bringing him back. The least you can do is help me still see him. Don’t you remember? We used to want what’s best for him. That’s what I’m doing right now - I’m trying to do what’s best for him.”

He put his hands around Lukas and began to pull him away. Katie wanted to hold on, to refuse to give him back, but she didn’t want him hurt, so she let go, her mind racing as Jake held him close. 

[justin-sullivan]

As soon as Justin had gotten off the phone with Chris, he quickly gathered his things and drove to Katie’s house. Arriving before them, Justin began to double think his placement. It was just too obvious, even if he had not been in the doge charger squad car.

Justin had come in contact with Katie’s neighbor, spoke to them about how he is an officer and needed a place to park his car, and hide out. Gracefully, they allowed him to do so. Quickly parking his car in their garage, they kindly give him hospitality as he waiting. He wasn’t taking any chances driving a distance between Katie and whatever was going on. He’d seen her behavior before, many times and he wasn’t going to let Katie become another victim.

A few minutes later, Justin walked over to their neighbors kitchen window, seeing Katie pull up in her driveway. Not too long after, he also heard a slight rumble of a car behind them, unable to see who it was. He tried to focus his hearing, but was struggling… greatly. If only I was that damn vampire, Lai. He softly laughed at his thought. 

Justin heard the back door shut, knowing that whoever was outside was now in. Justin turned his head, smiled and nodded at the neighbors, thanking them for allowing him to stay shortly, “I’ll come back for the car in a minute.” Holding the door behind him, he slowly let it shut allowing minimal noise. 

Quietly, Justin walked over to Katie’s property, ducking from every window, his body pushed flat against the house with his hand firmly pressed against his gun on his belt, sneaking by with no detection. Justin reached the door, he contemplated going in. He softly turned the doorknob, opening the door as slow as he possibly could. Justin snuck in, staying out of sight, unaware of which room Katie and company would be in.

Justin’s head swung towards the bedroom, as he heard soft sobbing. He tucked himself beside a corner in the hallway, remaining out of sight, pressed as flat as he could. His head still tilted sideways towards the edge of the hallway, listening closely to the people just before him.

[jdmilligan-blog]

Jake had never been patient, and watching Katie try to hold back her tears as he took Lukas back was wearing his patience even thinner than usual. He didn't have time for the drama and tears. He needed to get this going, to have something worked out, before Katie tried something stupid. 

"I know you love Lukas, Jake," Katie said finally, tears still evident in her voice. "And I am glad you never hurt him. But the law is the law, Jake. And you...you killed somebody."

Jake swallowed, gripping his son tighter. He knew what he did. And he knew that, because of who he was, it wouldn't matter that he'd done it in defense of his own life and the two others in the room. He glared at Katie. He couldn't help but feel resentment toward her. After all, if she hadn't ever ran away from Michigan and come down here in the first place, none of this ever would have happened. "I was saving someone," he corrected quietly. 

"I know," Katie responded just as quietly, though she hardly seemed to believe it. He saw the careful way she was watching him, every muscle in her body tensed and ready to move if he tried to get away. But Jake didn't even have the option anymore, really. Running away was pointless. You could only run for so long when you couldn't have a name, any substantial life. 

[jdmilligan-blog]

Smooth Criminal (12:03 pm)

Thinking rationally, Jake should have known that there was a countdown imposed on him the moment he'd ran with Lukas that night. Still, he'd managed to do it this long. He'd survived just fine, and Lukas had been okay. 

But things couldn't continue this way. He'd been working, even...found a job with a contractor who employed lots of illegal immigrants and didn't ask any questions when he refused to provide id and demanded to be paid in cash under the table. But then the woman he had stayed with ruined everything.

He'd come home the night before to find her strung out, after she'd said it was all behind her. Lukas was locked in the bathroom, and after some yelling and a rather serious altercation, she finally admitted she'd stolen all the money he'd made so far to make a drug deal and had shut Lukas away 'to keep him safe'.

To Jake, that was the same as saying 'to keep him out of my way'. People could say what they wanted about Jake, but he wanted his son safe. He loved him, and he did everything he could to keep to keep the little boy safe. This sort of behavior was unacceptable, and wasn't an atmosphere he could keep his son in. 

Jake had always been one to have a lot of money, a nice car, and a comfortable lifestyle. He'd given all that up to keep his son, but now he'd lost what a meager lifestyle he'd managed to scrap together. He was tired. Tired of running, tired of hiding, tired of waiting. 

He needed Katie to understand. To find some way to get her to take back the lies everyone was believing. He had the power in this situation, even if he was slowly starting to feel helpless. However desperate he got, Katie was more desperate. He had her son, and that meant he was still in charge. 

He drove around the back of the house on the grass, parking at the back of the house. Katie's car was parked in the driveway, so he knew she'd beat him there. He could also tell, given the relative vacancy of the street around them, that no cops in hiding were waiting outside. Still...there was a possibility they were inside, waiting for him. She would do something like that, trick him. She was every bit as stupid as she was desperate. 

Jake released Lukas from his carseat, holding him close as he walked up to the backdoor, which he knew would be unlocked, just like it always was.

[k-rushing-blog]

CONNECTED WITH JAKE

-gasp, tears- Lukey? Lukey, it’s mommy. -crying almost to hard to be understood- Mommy loves you, baby. Lukey?

[jdmilligan-blog]

CONNECTED WITH KATIE

-movement on other end of phone, then Jake's voice- If you want to see him, you know where to be. Come alone or the deal's off. And no police. Katie, I mean it. If I don't want you to see him, you won't, never again, you understand me?

[k-rushing-blog]

CONNECTED WITH JAKE

And what about my son?

[jdmilligan-blog]

CONNECTED WITH KATIE

Jesus. -pause, then to someone in same room as him- Bring him here. -pause, then breathing into phone. Jake speaks in the background- Say hi, buddy. -pause, then a baby's voice- Hi!

[k-rushing-blog]

CONNECTED WITH JAKE

Yes, I am…Jake, come on. Why are you doing this?

[jdmilligan-blog]

CONNECTED WITH KATIE

Don't worry about why, dammit. Seriously, Katie, do you ever do what you're told? Just listen to me. I need to talk to you. But just you. You're the only person who's going to listen to me. I need you to come to your house, and go to your room. I will be there after you get there. I need you to wait for me, and I need you to just try to listen to me. 

[k-rushing-blog]

CONNECTED WITH JAKE

-shaky gasp- I…I won’t. Okay? No cops. I swear. Just please, Jake, where is he? Where are you? I…please.

[jdmilligan-blog]

CONNECTED WITH KATIE

We can talk later, alright? You don't need to worry about where I am. Just where I will be. Are you listening very carefully?

[k-rushing-blog]

CONNECTED WITH UNKNOWN

Yes, I am. -pause- Look, you don’t have to be afraid, okay? Nothing bad will happen to you if you can help us find him. Quite the opposite, really. Just…can you tell me who you are? What you know?

[jdmilligan-blog]

CONNECTED WITH KATIE

-no longer muffled- It's Jake. Katie, I'm warning you right now, you call the police and you won't see him again. 

[k-rushing-blog]

CONNECTED WITH UNKNOWN

My…are you serious? Please, sir, I…can you tell me what you know? Have you seen him? Do you know where he is?

[jdmilligan-blog]

CONNECTED WITH KATIE

-sounding more frustrated- Are you alone?

[k-rushing-blog]

CONNECTED WITH UNKNOWN

-hesitantly, concerned- Umm, I’m sorry? 

[jdmilligan-blog]

CONNECTED WITH KATIE

I said, are you alone? -pause- Look, it's about your son.

[k-rushing-blog]

CONNECTED WITH UNKNOWN

Umm, I know this may be really odd, because maybe it was just a wrong number, but I received this phone call today, and I was just wondering if you perhaps called on purpose?

[jdmilligan-blog]

CONNECTED WITH KATIE

-muffled, trying to conceal voice- Are you alone?

[jdmilligan-blog]

Jake's Journal, 5/14/12

Dammit, I risk everything to come here again, to talk to her...there's not a damn sign of her anywhere. 

She needs to understand. She needs to realize it wasn't my fault. 

No doubt she's staying at Wyatt's now there. I'd go there if I didn't think he'd kill me before I could say a word to her. 

C'mon, Katie. Just come home, already. Let me talk to you.

[jdmilligan-blog]

Facing Demons (6:23 pm, yesterday)

[nicolawyler-blog]

Nikki took in a deep breath. This was all almost too much for her. She silently nodded her head before bring her hand up to rub her forehead. He’d killed a man in cold blood to save her life. A man that was accused of doing what Jason had very well done to her. Looking back at the man, she slowly let out her breath, “okay.” She said quietly. She didn’t know what else could be said. She wanted to keep asking questions, even though she didn’t want to know the answers. But, she prevented herself from doing so. This man had already said things that she was sure he’s wasn’t supposed to. 

He placed his hand on the doorknob, “thank you. For.. telling me. At least I know.. sort of, who my dark knight is.” She laughed softly. She wanted John there, now. She wanted him to hug her and rub her back, telling her everything was okay, comforting her. “I’m sorry if I caused any trouble for him, I really am.” He already had enough on his plate, she was sure it was just the cherry on top.

[jdmilligan-blog]

Jake smiled a little, forcing the expression back of his face. "No, no," he said softly, grateful she'd bought it. "You didn't cause him trouble, don't be silly. He saved you...and with any luck, what he did for you will help him. Show what sort of person he really is. That he'd only hurt someone who deserved it, to protect someone who didn't, like he did for you."

He turned the handle, smiling politely at the woman. "I hope you heal up soon, alright? And thank you, for agreeing not to say anything. And thank you for understanding. Hang in there, alright? Things will get better." With that, he slipped out the doorway, closing the door behind him and walking with as brisk a pace as he dared back toward the elevator.

[jdmilligan-blog]

Facing Demons (6:23 pm, yesterday)

[nicolawyler-blog]

Nikki nodded her head. She wondered what on earth he could have done for people think that way. He’d done the right thing, hadn’t he? How could he be evil? She tried to let everything soak in. Everything has happened so quickly, she wasn’t sure what to think of all of it. Nikki took her gaze from the man and shifted it to the window, casually glancing from object to object outside. I’d sure hate for the person he saved to think as badly of him as everyone else does. That statement hit Nikki, hard. He’d saved her life, how could she think of him as a bad person? She owed it to him, to believe him. “I understand. I don’t know how much my word will do,” she softly laughed, “but, I will.”

She smiled sweetly at the man, “I’ll try.” She said, hoping it was the truth. She wanted nothing more than to feel better, and forget this whole mess even happened. Even though, she knew that wasn’t possible. She’d never forget it. “Your secret is safe…. Um,” she said, trying to get his attention before leaving. It could have been a bad idea, but she needed to know what she was defending, “do you mind… I mean, can I know what I’m defending?”

[jdmilligan-blog]

He'd almost gotten away with it. He'd turned back toward the door, his hands were nearly on the handle, he was going to leave...but then she asked to know what it was people thought he'd done. He stopped, turning back to her, and sighed heavily, as if he hated trying to explain it to people. 

"I can't really say much," he began, thinking quickly, keeping an innocent yet exhausted look on his face. "But what I can say is that not everyone is as innocent as you. What happened to you, the things that that man did...they're unspeakable. And people know this. A man hurting a woman the way he did you, people get that that's just...the worst thing. And sometimes, women aren't as innocent as you. Sometimes they say these things happen, when they don't, just so they can have power over the man." Jake laughed bitterly, looking down at his shoes. "I know it doesn't sound believable, especially given the situation you've been in. Probably sounds like he's the one lying. But why would a man who people think does that sort of thing shoot another man in cold blood for doing it to you?" He looked at her, watching her expression. "My friend isn't perfect, but he would never do the sort of things to someone that they think he did. He was willing to kill someone for doing it to you. So just please try to remember that, when they tell you he's bad. He's not." He put his hand on the doorknob again, watching her. "But I really have to go, okay? I don't want to get him in any more trouble for this."

[jdmilligan-blog]

Facing Demons (6:23 pm, yesterday)

[nicolawyler-blog]

Nikki kept her focus on the man as he talked. Her eyes were wide of curiosity, showing that she was listening to what he was saying. Nikki shrugged her shoulders, “I mean, if he saved my life, not even knowing me,” she paused, confusion gracing her face, “how could he be evil?” Nikki thought to herself, her eyes squinting as she did so. She looked back up at the stranger and help up her hands, “but don’t apologize. It’s nobody’s fault except for mine that this happened.” Her mind jumped back to what the man said about his friend, “he is a hero,” she said quielty, not sure if he’d heard her, “at least to me, he is.” She said truthfully. She didn’t even know who the shooter was, but he was in the right place at the right time.

Fear wanted to jump into her body, she wanted to know how the man even knew to come or why he carried a gun. “Honestly, they haven’t told me much really.” Her mind kept jumping back to the same subject. The second she’d answer different parts to what he’d said, it was almost like autopilot, bringing her back to it, “I don’t know what would have happened to me if he didn’t show up.” Her eyes connected with the man’s before she spoke again, “will you tell your friend thank you for me?”

[jdmilligan-blog]

"Of course," Jake said automatically. "I'll tell him when I can. But he's really scared right now, and I don't know when I'll be able to talk to him. I just need you to remember that he did save you, alright, and he isn't a bad person. Bad people don't do that. So just please, when they try to tell you otherwise...remember that. I know it's not going to do him any good, but I'd sure hate for the person he saved to think as badly of him as everyone else does."

Jake stood, rubbing his hands together. "I should really get going. But I really hope you get to feeling better, alright? That man, whatever he did you, why ever he did it...he's gone. And you're free." He walked toward the door, stopping and turning to look back at her. "Will you do me one favor, though? Don't tell anyone I was here, okay? Like I said, they think my friend did a lot of bad things...I don't want them getting the wrong idea by me coming here."

[jdmilligan-blog]

Facing Demons (6:23 pm, yesterday)

[nicolawyler-blog]

Nikki frowned at the thought of the incident. She remembered her head throbbing, and keeping her head tucked into her knees. So many things were going on at once, she just wanted her eyes to close and for it all to be over. Thankfully, it all was over. “Uh,” she started to fumble with her hands as she tried to remember that horrid afternoon, “not much, to be honest.” She shifted her gaze from her hands to the man standing a few feet away from her. “It all happened so fast,” she said distantly, lost in thought of what happened, “I think I was unconscious for most of it.” She said honestly, thankful that she didn’t have to see the scene unfold in front of her.

“I just,” she paused, trying not to let one more tear fall from her eyes, “Just him, coming in and attacking me.” Her voice started to break. Nikki took in a deep breath, refusing to let herself cry in front of the man, “he was so cruel.” She brought her hands up to her face, softly rubbing it, being careful of her bruises. “Why do you ask?” 

[jdmilligan-blog]

Jake swallowed thickly, growing impatient. Truthfully, he cared very little for her emotions over this situation. He hadn't done what he'd done to the man to benefit her in the first place - he'd needed to buy himself time to get out of there with Lukas, it was a lot easier with everyone's heads turned in the direction of the bedroom of that house. 

"I'm sorry that happened to you, ma'am, I really am," he said, looking at her with what he hoped was a sorrowful expression. "What that man did to you is unspeakable, and I hope I'm not out of turn for saying this, but the man who took care of him is a hero. It sounds like he saved your life." Suddenly, it was like a lightbulb went off in Jake's head, and he knew what to say. He slid into the seat by the woman's bedside, looking at her imploringly. "The thing is, that who shot the man attacking you? He's a friend of mine, and I'm really scared for him. I don't know what they've told you, but people think he's done a lot of bad things. And they want to use what he did to the man attacking you as a way to get him in even more trouble. But he's not the man they think he is, and he hasn't done the things they're saying he did. He saved your life. He's a good person."

[jdmilligan-blog]

Facing Demons (6:23 pm, yesterday)

[nicolawyler-blog]

Nikki sat up in her bed, one arm supporting her as she pushed the button that slowly raised her up as her other arm rested across her stomach. The kick to her stomach left a nasty bruise on her ribs. Any position she sat in caused a pain, whether it be her stomach or her back. She’d just accepted to the fact that she’d be in constant pain until it healed. Through all the pain, she still managed to put a smile on her face. She was just grateful she was alive.

“Um,” Nikki murmured out. Her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to think back on the man. “Should I know you?” she asked innocently, feeling guilty for forgetting the man. “Sorry, my mind is a little shaky.” She said with a soft laugh, not that there was anything humorous about what had happened to her. The few blows to the head that Jason left her with made her thoughts blur.

[jdmilligan-blog]

Jake laughed back, hoping to ease the tension. "Ahh, well, no, I guess you wouldn't." He glanced to the side, and saw a chair sitting there, but decided not to sit down just yet. If she panicked when he revealed who he was, he'd need to run, and standing back up would waste precious seconds. He might have saved her life, but this town was small, and she might ery well have heard all about what everyone else thought of him by now.

"I...look, I know you've been through a lot, and I don't want to scare you," he said softly, keeping his hands held up in front of him in a non-threatening gesture. "But how much do you remember about the person who shot the man who was attacking you?"